Mike Stonard blasts claims Anglia Square revamp is at risk

Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, hit out at the claims that the plans to revitalise the shopping centre will no longer go ahead now that the county's £600m devolution plan has been scrapped.

It comes after Kay Mason Billig, leader of Conservative-controlled County Hall, said a number of local projects were at risk of being dropped in the wake of the deal's collapse.

She listed Anglia Square, which Norwich City Council is hoping to buy after housing developers Weston Homes pulled out of a £300m revamp scheme earlier this year, as a project which will miss out on money.

Norfolk's scrapped devolution deal could put the Anglia Square revamp at risk, County Hall leader Kay Mason Billig claimed (Image: Denise Bradley) "Our plans to buy Anglia Square are completely independent of the devolution deal," Mr Stonard said.

"Any suggestions that proposals to redevelop the site are now all of a sudden at risk are completely inaccurate and misleading.

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"We are continuing with our plans to look at buying the site so we can shape the future of Anglia Square in the interests of all our local communities and businesses."

DEVOLUTION DISSOLVED

Norfolk's devolution deal would have seen much of the government's grip on the region loosen, returning powers and funding to local authorities such as Norwich City Council.

It was agreed in principle in December 2022 and would have included an investment fund of £20m a year for 30 years, control of the £12m budget for adult education, and £7m to kickstart housing on brownfield sites.

​Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, refuted these claims (Image: Steve Adams) The deal would also have seen the Norfolk public vote for a directly-elected county council leader next May. 

But after Labour's landslide win in the July general election, it was called off. 

Councillor Sue Holland, leader of Broadland District Council, said: "It is unsurprising that there has been an announcement that the plan has been halted as it is clear that it did not fulfil the requirements expressed by the new government.

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"I have been open in my concerns that a closed county deal was neither ambitious enough nor had the right governance structures in place.

"Equally, the new government has been very clear on the need of a wider geography if Norfolk is to play a full part in the proposed English devolution."

Sue Holland, leader of Broadland District Council, said she was not surprised the devolution deal was scrapped (Image: Sue Holland) The new government was not in favour of a deal which featured a directly-elected county council leader, preferring a mayoral model separate from the council.

"I believe that the best way of achieving that goal is to deliver a more collaborative model across the region," Sue added.

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"Here in Broadland, we welcome the opportunity to work with our neighbours to achieve that more ambitious deal."

The government has left the door open for a new package to be negotiated - but hinted it could seek a cross-county deal jointly involving Norfolk and Suffolk.

Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Norfolk County Council) A previous devolution deal - with a single mayor - collapsed in 2016 after a string of Norfolk councils withdrew from the process and West Norfolk Council voted against it.

ANGLIA SQUARE REVAMP

In 2023, Weston Homes, with investment firm Columbia Threadneedle, applied to demolish the brutalist shopping centre and spend £300m completely revamping the area. 

Under the proposals, the regenerated Anglia Square would have provided more than 1,200 new homes across 12 blocks, including a minimum of 120 affordable properties.

They also wanted to construct 8,000 square meters of commercial space, a community hub and 450 car parking spaces on the land.  

The project was welcomed by several city figureheads but in February this year, the developer said it had been forced to cancel the redevelopment because a "multitude of issues" meant it was not financially viable.

The centre's long-term future looked uncertain until Norwich City Council agreed to launch a bid to bring the site into public ownership using £300,000 from reserves and millions of pounds from the new Labour government.